Tolled highways report completed, takeover decision hopefully in weeks, says minister

By THE STAR | 26 June 2019


PUTRAJAYA: A study on the government’s proposed takeover of tolled highways from concessionaires has been completed, and hopefully a decision will be made in a few weeks says Works Minister Baru Bian.

He said the study, prepared by certified audit consultants on the toll industry, had been presented to the Cabinet.

“So now we are only waiting for the Cabinet to decide,” he said after a site visit to a hou­sing development project by the Construction Industry Development Board of Malaysia (CIDB) near Precinct 12 in Putrajaya yesterday.

He said there was no exact time-frame for a decision because feedback needed to be gathered from other ministries.

“We just have to wait because we need to circulate to all the ministries for their review and feedback.

“However, I hope it will be within the next few weeks and not months,” he said.

Baru had earlier said any takeover of tolled highway concessionaires would only be approved by the Cabinet after detailed studies were completed.

His latest statement came following Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s announcement that the government had made a RM6.2bil bid to take over four tolled highways in the Klang Valley.

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